Mercy
by Wasdqert
Summary: What if Percy and Annabeth didn't make it to the doors of death in time? What if the others of the Seven had to make a difficult decision to stop a monster army from coming through the doors? Slight AU Oneshot


The five heroes fought bravely against the hordes of monsters that poured seemingly endlessly from the doors. They'd managed to form a rough line in front of the doors and were slaughtering any mosters that came near but they all knew they wouldn't last much longer. They'd had to fight their way through the house of hades just to get here and now they'd been fighting at the doors for hours. Each was covered in minor injuries and felt the exhaustion beginning to weigh them down. The battle had raged for hours and they wouldn't last much longer without closing the doors and stopping the constant flow of monsters.

Jason let loose a blast of lightning at the monsters in front of him, allowing him a break that was just long enough to cram a piece of ambrosia in his mouth before resuming the fight. A demigod could last a long time in battle with ample supplies of ambrosia and nectar but it could only do so much. The piece he was currently trying to chew and swallow as he fought was the last he'd be able to consume for a while without burning up. Without the refreshing effect of the divine food to bolster him he knew he wouldn't last much longer. His wounds were building back up again after being healed by the ambrosia, and already they were taking their toll on him.

Glancing at the others as he fought he could see they were wearing out as well. Unless something changed they'd be monster food very quickly.

But the only thing they could do to stop the horde was to close the doors, and neither Percy or Annabeth had made it out yet. The only thing to come from the doors was the army of monsters that had apparently been waiting on the other side for the questers to arrive. Jason wasn't sure how many monsters were waiting on the other side, clamouring for the demigods outside. They'd had to have killed at least a few hundred monsters if the gold dust that absolutely coated the room was any indication.

A cry of pain rang out in the chamber, followed swiftly by a roar of anger that didn't quite sound human. Glancing to the side for a brief moment Jason spotted Hazel lying on the ground clutching an apparently wounded arm. Standing over her and slaughtering any monsters that dared approach was massive gorilla. Jason didn't know much about zoology or even just gorillas in general but the size and strength of this gorilla definitely was unnatural as it ripped monsters apart with terrible fury.

Coming to a decision Jason prayed to whatever divine beings that were listening for mercy as he began pushing the monsters back.

"To the doors," he bellowed as he fired as many lightning bolts as he could into the monsters. The others responded to his battle cry with cries of their own, fighting with renewed vigor as they made their final push.

After a few desperate minutes of fighting they had reached the doors and took up positions directly on the threshold of the doors. "Hazel, cut the chains," Jason ordered.

Grimly with tears streaming down her face the child of Pluto cut at the chains on either side of the door. Once, twice, three times her sword hacked at the chains. After one side snapped she quickly moves to the other side and began to repeat the process. As her sword came down on the final chain one last time it snapped back.

"Close the doors now," Jason ordered. With the others holding back the tide of monsters Hazel quickly moved to shut one of the doors, pushing as hard as she could with her mostly uninjured arm. The door slowly creaked shut before clicking into place, the defending demigods shifting to cover the other opening. Hazel heaved at the other door, throwing her weight at it and trying to get the massive door to shut. With a groan the door began to swing slowly shut, the others backing up slowly and then throwing their weight into the door as it swung past.

The gap closed until only Jason was fighting. He quickly released the last dregs of his power in a blast of electricity, turning the monsters nearest the doors to ash. He then dove out of the way as the door swung shut.

With the doors unchained and closed they gave a faint hum and a glow that built before they vanished in a flash.

The only thoughts on the minds of the five demigods in the room was of their companies that they had just doomed with their actions.

As they began to trek out of the room and back up to the surface Jason turned before he left the room and stared back at where the doors had stood. He offered up two prayers, one for the comrades he'd condemned and another praying for mercy on his soul for what he'd just done.


End file.
